Tag:

Mark Messier
Mark Messier Coaching

Buzz: Mark Messier coaching in Edmonton rumors have popped up again

Steve Simmons writes that there is less pressure on Oilers coach Dallas Eakins after his team has won three straight games but prior to that the Oilers were considering a coaching change and were "sniffing around" the idea of Mark Messier filling that role. (Toronto Sun)

Messier is currently working with the Oilers as a consultant and in talking about his role, Messier said that he is "available" for anything that the organization needs. He added that he told former teammates Kevin Lowe (Oilers President) and Craig MacTavish (Oilers GM) that he is available to them 24/7 for whatever they need. (Oilers)

He said that he speaks with the players, coaches and helps out with certain decisions. (Oilers)

Buzz: Could the Oilers look to Mark Messier in the future?

Bruce Garrioch writes that the Edmonton Oilers are expected to stick with Dallas Eakins as head coach after a "disastrous" rookie season but "you have to wonder" if in the future the Oilers will look to Mark Messier to become head coach. (Ottawa Sun)

He says that while Messier wanted the Rangers job last year and was passed over, "you'd have to think" that he would still like to coach (Ottawa Sun)

Messier has been working as a consultant for the Oilers all season after leaving the Rangers.

Read: Mark Messier Says He Has No Hard Feelings Toward The Rangers/Will Always Be Part Of His Life

Mark Messier taped an episode of Centerstage with Michael Kay today and the NY Post reports Messier says that he has no hard feelings towards the Rangers over being passed over for the head coaching position.

Messier said that he will be part of a group of people who will help introduce the new Madison Square Garden on Friday.

He said that there is a bond between him and the Rangers that will be there until the day he dies.

Read: Glen Sather Approached Mark Messier About The Head Coaching Position

In the NY Post, Mark Messier spoke with Larry Brooks and said that it was Glen Sather who approached him about the Rangers head coaching position after John Tortorella was fired.

Messier said that after taking some time to discuss the idea with his family, he told Sather that he feels like he has the right qualities to bring the Rangers to the next level, Sather should go through the process and hire the person he feels is right for the job, even if it isn't him.

Messier said that he isn't bitter at all and was considering taking on a bigger role with the Kingsbridge complex for a while.

News: Mark Messier Leaves Rangers Organization

Mark Messier has released a statement announcing that he is leaving the Rangers organization to to develop the Kingsbridge National Ice Center in the Bronx.

He has spent the past four seasons as a Special Assistant to President Glen Sather. The Rangers media guide said that Messier "assists President and General Manager, Glen Sather, in various on and off-ice team activities."

Messier says that this decision had nothing to do with not being chosen as head coach and that he has no hard feelings towards Glen Sather or the Rangers organization.

Read: Where Mark Messier Should End Up

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers should make Mark Messier the head coach of the Wolf Pack and allow him to gain experience running and managing his own bench so that he could one day be a more formidable candidate to become a head coach at the NHL level.

Brooks says that the team could make Ken Gernander an associate coach but he doesn't specify whether that would be with the Rangers or the Wolf Pack.

By coaching in the AHL Messier would allow himself to expand the pool of potential teams that would hire him as the two teams who have had interest in him coaching are the teams that he has deep rooted history with and long term connections.

Read: The Respect The Players Have For Mark Messier

In the NY Post, Larry Brooks writes that if the Rangers were to hire Mark Messier to be their head coach there would be an immediate level of respect from the players.

Brooks writes that the challenge will be keeping that respect while doing the job.

Adam Rotter: The players just need to have their eyes open as they walk around MSG or the Training Center to see what kind of impact Mark Messier has had with this team and in this city. He has won in NY and that appeals to this group which thinks it's in a position to do the same. That being said, that respect could go out the window quickly in training camp if Messier doesn't have an understanding of what to do. I still think Messier's best role is as a consultant. Someone who does a few different things with the players but has a presence with the team and is in 100% agreement with the coaching staff.

Read: Pierre McGuire Talks About The Rangers Coaching Candidates

Pierre McGuire was a guest on Mike Francesa today and said that Alain Vigneault and Lindy Ruff are both outstanding coaches and candidates for the Rangers.

McGuire said he is very familiar with both coaches bodies of work and that he worked with Vigneault when both were assistants in Florida and he coached against Lindy Ruff when Ruff was an assistant with the Panthers.

He added that he would love to be inside the room when Mark Messier gets interviewed because he wants to see what Messier would say when asked about his approach to coaching.

Read: The Rangers Are Mark Messier's Shot At Coaching/WIll He Stay If He Doesn't Get The Job?

On Hockey Central at noon, Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean discussed Mark Messier and the Rangers head coaching position.

Kypreos said that it's a tough situation for Glen Sather because not only will he have to tell Mark Messier "no" when it comes to him getting the job, but that Messier could then leave his position in the Rangers front office.

He added that he think Messier would leave the organization if he doesn't get the head coaching job and that the next coach of the Rangers may not be comfortable having a guy like Messier, who wanted the job, watching from above every night.

Read: Mark Messier Needs To Be Supportive If He Doesn't Get The Job/Experienced Assistants If He Does

At Sportsnet, Neil Smith, the man who brought Mark Messier to NY, was asked about the Rangers coaching situation and said that it's up to Glen Sather to make a decision that he believes will get the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final.

He said that the key to this decision will be for Mark Messier, as part of the Rangers organization, to be supportive of whatever decision Glen Sather makes and not pout if he doesn't get the job.

Smith said that Messier will need to be especially supportive if the new coach gets off to a slow start.

Read: Being A Great Player Doesn't Mean You Know How To Coach

In The Hockey News, Ken Campbell writes that it would be quite a big disaster for the Rangers if they hired Mark Messier or Wayne Gretzky to be their head coach.

Campbell writes that the lack of experience both men have would lead to a bad situation, "coaching is a craft that is learned over years of hard work and experimentation. You spend years learning which buttons to push and you pick up intricacies of the game that none but the most trained eye can see. You get a feel for your players and your bench and you learn what it takes to gain an advantage over the opposition during the frenetic pace of a game."

Campbell says that the only way hiring Messier or Gretzky would work is if they were figurehead coaches and the Rangers paid an exorbitant amount for an associate coach to do the actual coaching.

Poll: Do You Want Mark Messier To Be The Rangers Head Coach?

7:17AM: 6/4/13: In the Ottawa Sun, Bruce Garrioch writes not to dismiss the idea of Messier becoming coach of the Rangers. He says that if Messier shows that he really wants the job and will commit to the work, he could get the job.

Garrioch writes that Glen Sather is considering Messier but that he would need a strong associate head coach with a lot of experience to run the technical aspects.

Read: Some More Chatter On Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier As Coaches

On Hockey Central at Noon, Nick Kypreos and Doug MacLean spoke about the Rangers coaching?vacancy.

Kypreos said, "If they weren't interested we would have heard by now. When there was no follow up to Wayne Gretzky saying no, that was the day it became Glen Sather's biggest headache, nightmare. You can tell Dallas Eakins no...... but to tell Messier or Gretzky no is another story."

Doug MacLean, a former coach and GM, said that this is turning into a big headache for Sather and that he isn't sure Sather wants either one of them to be coach.

Read: Knowing The Direction Of The Organization

Recently on Sportsnet, Nick Kypreos spoke about how the next coach of the Rangers needs to understand the direction that the entire organization is heading in, starting with the future of upper management.

He said, "If you are going to consider a Messier, Gretzky or Leetch, you have to be crystal clear on the direction that you are personally going to go. Sather has held these cards so close to his vest and these guys want to know where the future is going. Is Glen Sather going to be involved for the next five/seven/ten years? He is 70 years old and at some point you want to groom somebody to come over."

Doug MacLean said that he thought that role, replacing Sather, was the one best suited for Messier.

Kypreos and Doug MacLean talked about the situation a little while ago on Sportsnet.

Kypreos said "I hear both of them are and to me that is the biggest story, that they haven't shoo shooed this at all. You look at where both guys are in their lives, and to say that they are intrigued by it and didn't dismiss the idea tells you volumes about the position of head coach of the NY Rangers. Mark Messier, no experience, Wayne Gretzky has four years of experience but to hear that their names are in play and possibly on a short list for Glen Sather says a lot."

Buzz: The Idea Of Mark Messier as Head Coach Of The New York Rangers

5:36PM: Bob McKenzie said on TSN Radio earlier today "There is the Messier route, he has no experience but he is Mark Messier. I don't know if Mess wants to do it. I know a year ago, after the Oilers fired Tom Renney and didn't name Ralph Kruger as head coach, that they investigated that possibility of Messier coming home to Edmonton as a coach. I don't think Messier was either a) up for coaching at the time or b)going back to the Oilers. I think he is intrigued by the notion of doing something more than he is doing. Does he want the whole enchilada, jump in with two feet. Does he want to dive in head first?"

5:18PM: Katie Strang of ESPN NY sent out a tweet saying that the Rangers will definitely not overlook the idea of making Mark Messier the head coach.